Leadership and Fine Gael on Dublin City Council

Being Group Leader of Fine Gael on Dublin City Council is really a paddle in the Poddle. Unleash the talent around you when it is obviously there and watch the results soar. My respect for my colleagues talent informs my policy. Fine Gael in Dublin has TALENT. Lets stop hiding this fact.

There is a plethora of leadership talent in the Fine Gael ranks on Dublin City Council. There is Ruairi McGinley who is the epitome of steady calmness and financial competence. He is our Finance Minister. Mary O’Shea is the group co-ordinator and organiser and Minister for Information; Naoise O’Muiri is our Minister for Innovation and Industry. These Three are our Group Facilitators and Negotiators with other groups and city management. Eoghan Murphy is our detailed analyst for environmental issues and did a great job in deconstructing the Development Plan. Pat Crimmons is our representative on Local Authority Members Association and works in the common good of all councillors. We are very fortunate to have Edie Wynne, a true lady, as our Deputy Lord Mayor with the inimitable Gerry Breen as Lord Mayor. Then thought of those two brings a smile. Gerry showed his business efficiency by brilliantly chairing the Development Plan Meetings. Catherine Noone watches the Law Department and gives the rest of us advice. Mary O’Shea does that for me at the HSE Forum. Ray McAdam is a special lad. He leads us in any decision relating to the North Inner City where he works on issues with his fellow councillors. He is lucky to have Marie Metcalfe, Christy Burke and Niall Ring as luminaries. Declan Flanagan is our man for verbal battle when we need to call in the Marines. All I have to do is look around and Declan takes off the leash. Clair Byrne is on maternity leave at the moment and we respect that as Fine gael is proud that we have 33% women in our group. My role is to offer solutions to the group where problems seem intractable, to interact with the other representatives and with the city council staff and to pursue the rationalist, liberal, respectful and open agenda where everyone is respected and selflessness is put first. I am the conductor. My orchestra is high quality with leaders in every sector. We will not whip people against their consciences but regard dissent as either genuinely deeply held and that is ok or as a failure of communication within the group.

Bill Tormey respects the mandate of all councillors and seeks to work with the independents in the interests of all of the community. Where budgets are constrained and spending is under the real minimum necessary, Fine Gael will work with the independents to try achieve the best priority compromise when discussing with the Labour Party which itself is a disparate coalition. Our aim is to further the physical, cultural, commercial, employment, educational, recreational and personal ambitions of our city to make Dublin a first rate European City in which we all take pride of place and ownership.

Increased educational achievements across society means that Yaboo political behaviour impresses only the tiny minority of fanatical zealots. Respect and co-operation is most important. We respect and co-operate with the Labour Party and embrace the democratic mandate of our independent colleagues.

The integrity of my intentions will be obvious in the coming months.

I want to publicly thank the Fine Gael team for a really competent performance this week on all aspects of the City Development Plan. In particular, Ruairi and Naoise hammered our the compromise motions to bring the process forward. Eoghan Murphy was so assiduous that he was a source of continuous interception. he shows a great dollop of self-confidence and dilligence.

When it comes to the nitty gritty, we need more than sex, drugs and rock and roll! I gave some of the “more” in my 27th July speech which is on the website or u-tube or on the City Council webcast.